Whenever possible, medication should be scheduled to be given at home. However, there are times when a student’s health condition requires medication be given during the school day. When sending any medication to school, parents must provide the following:

Parent permission for the medication to be administered at school.

A written order by a physician or licensed medication prescriber indicating the necessity of the medication. This order must include dose and frequency. The physician may fax the order to the school.

The medication in the original prescription or over-the-counter labeled container. For prescription medication, ask the pharmacist for a duplicate labeled container so one can be kept at home and one can be kept at school.

All medication administered in school must be kept in the Health Office. Exceptions are students who may carry an asthma inhaler or emergency epinephrine, if they have a written physician’s order, written parent permission and have demonstrated to the school nurse that they are competent in administration. Middle and high school students may carry acetaminophen or ibuprofen if there is an annual written parent permission form on file in the Health Office.

It is important that when a student has a chronic or potentially life threatening condition (such as asthma, severe allergies, diabetes or seizures), that the parents, student and the school nurse collaborate to create a plan to meet the student’s specific health needs. This health information will be shared with appropriate school personnel, as needed, with due respect to confidentiality. Emergency Care Plan forms need to be completed and signed by your physician. We have provided some suggested forms below if your physician or clinic does not have a standard formatted care plan. Contact the licensed school nurse in your student’s building to discuss other conditions not listed.

Parents and students frequently have questions about when it is appropriate to stay home from school because of illness. Please follow these guidelines:

If your child has had a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours.

If your child has vomited or had diarrhea within the past 24 hours.

If a student is placed on antibiotics, he or she should stay at home until 24 hours after taking the first dose.

If having your child at school would significantly put others at risk for contracting your child’s illness.

If you child feels ill enough that he/she would not be able to benefit from being at school.

If your student will not be attending school due to illness, please contact the attendance or health office in your child's school as soon as you make the decision to keep them home. If your child has strep throat, chicken pox, head lice, pink eye, or any other communicable concern, please notify your school health office.

If your child becomes ill while at school, you will be notified to pick up your child as quickly as possible. We appreciate your cooperation with these matters, as everyone's health is very important and your child will appreciate your loving presence and care.

The emergency contact(s) will be contacted if we feel your child needs to go home and we are unable to reach a parent/guardian.

Your child will NOT be allowed to leave school without consent from the parent/guardian or emergency contact person given directly to Health Office staff. Your child will not be released to any adult other than those on file as a parent, guardian or emergency contact, without parental consent.

Please update your school office if there are any changes to your emergency contact information.

Common Health Concerns and Recommendations

Slight fever, general feeling of illness, skin rash that begins on chest, back, underarm, neck and face. Starts out as red bumps that turn into small blisters. Scabs appear in a few days.

Incubation Period: 10 to 21 days, usually 14 to 16 days

School Actions on Communicability:

Contagious a few days before eruption and until vesicles are dry. Exclude until day 6 after rash began or sooner if all blisters have dried into scabs.

Source of Infection and Mode of Transmission

Spread from person to person by direct contact with touching the blister fluid or secretions from the nose or mouth of a person with chicken pox. One attack usually confers immunity. Children on immunosuppressive drugs are at high risk. If you take your child to the doctor, they will want to keep your child separate from other children to prevent further spread.

Blisters, pustules rapidly covered with honey-colored crusts. May be confused with cold sores. Usually seen first near mouth or nose. Can spread rapidly.

Incubation Period: 1 to 10 days, occasionally longer.

School Action and Communicability

Exclude from school until verification of treatment, or until lesions are dry. Contagious until lesions are healed or 24 hours after initiation of oral antibiotics.

Mode of Transmission

Bacteria spread by direct contact with sores, sometimes with contact from discharges from nose or throat of person can be spread through droplets in coughing or sneezing. Usually caused by Streptococcus or Staphylococcus bacteria.

Infestation of the head hair or other hairy parts of the body with lice or nits. Scratching causes reddened, rash-like area. Nits are tiny gray/white eggs, stuck to hair, usually close to scalp at neckline and/or behind ears.

Incubation Period: Variable; eggs hatch in 7-10 days.

School Action and Communicability

Exclude until lice and nits are adequately treated or removed. Advise exam of household contact for nits and lice. When appropriate, schools may exclude until all nits are removed. For more information go to the Minnesota Department of Health website.

Mode of Transmission

Louse transmitted primarily by direct contact with infested persons. Lice can also be transmitted through combs, brushes, bedding, wearing apparel, and upholstered furniture.